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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. branch — a division
  4. board — to get on
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. bore — to drill
  7. board — a committee
  8. season — in sport
  9. bore — to tire
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. season — of the year
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. rock — music
  22. rock — a stone
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. vault — a safe

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com